One of Keir Starmer’s most senior advisers has resigned over leaked messages about a game of ‘sh*g, marry, kill’ featuring Diane Abbott played with Labour Party colleagues.

Paul Ovenden used the party’s internal messaging system in 2017 to tell another colleague he had a ‘story that will make you lol [laugh out loud] from last night’.

He recounted having ‘outrageous’ conversations about hypothetical sex acts involving Ms Abbott, including the use of a sex toy.

Downing Street branded the exchange ‘appalling and unacceptable’.

Mr Ovenden, who earned up to £120,000 a year as Sir Keir’s director of strategy, wrote the messages while employed in the party’s press team when Jeremy Corbyn was leader and Ms Abbott was shadow home secretary.

He admitted the comments were ‘inappropriate’ but sa

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